Mexican drug pipeline' in Chesco shut down, 16 arrested

Law enforcement officials Wednesday announced the conclusion of a joint local and federal operation that targeted an alleged cocaine pipeline running from Mexico straight into southern Chester County.

According to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, the year-long investigation dubbed “Operation Tuberia Rota,” or “Operation Broken Pipeline,” resulted in 16 arrests across southern Chester County, Reading and Delaware.

According to a criminal complaint filed by investigators, the investigation used numerous confidential informants to set up multiple direct purchases of cocaine. Police also used wiretaps of the suspects’ phones to establish a network of contacts and discover the patterns behind the drug dealing activity. Law enforcement officials said the investigation determined the suspects had direct ties to Mexico and to other dealers across the United States.

Officials said the suspects named in the case are accused of operating a cocaine distribution network by hiding couriers among the large Latino populations in southern Chester County and Delaware.

“From my days as a federal prosecutor, we were aware that Mexican drug trafficking organizations run a pipeline of drugs up the East Coast, cutting through southern Chester County,” said District Attorney Tom Hogan. “The DTOs (drug trafficking organizations) hide their drug couriers among the law-abiding Latino population in southern Chester County. Operation Tuberia Rota sends a loud message to Mexican DTOs — we know where you are, we are coming after you, and we will shut down your drug pipeline in Chester County.”

Seven of the 16 suspects named in the case live in Chester County. All suspects were charged with drug delivery, conspiracy, and related offenses and remain in local or federal custody.

Five other suspects are from Wilmington, three were from Reading, and one was from Newark.

The investigation was initiated by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office and coordinated resources from municipal, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Some suspects were charged in Chester County, while others were charged in federal court in Delaware.

According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began in December 2011, when the county’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force opened an investigation into Luna-Rodriguez for the trafficking of cocaine.

Investigators developed a confidential informant and conducted several controlled purchases of cocaine. Following the buys, investigators obtained warrants for the wire taps of two cell phones belonging to Luna-Rodriguez.

The investigation revealed that between July 4 and Aug. 30 of 2012, Luna-Rodriguez made at least 38 deliveries of cocaine to at least 14 different customers, according to the criminal complaint. On Jan. 21, 2013, investigators executed a search warrant at Luna-Rodriguez’s home in the first block of Charles Drive in Oxford. Inside detectives located two large bags of a white powdery substance. According to the criminal complaint, later lab tests confirmed that each bag held over 8 ounces of cocaine.

Federal officials said the investigation confirms the presence of Mexican drug trafficking organizations in Chester County and throughout southeastern Pennsylvania and surrounding areas.

“This investigation confirms that Mexican trafficking organizations have infiltrated our communities throughout Pennsylvania,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge David G. Nongilli. “The defendants in this case established a drug distribution network responsible for distributing significant quantities of cocaine in Chester County. The DEA will continue to use all of its resources to confront these drug organizations with our law enforcement partner agencies.”